Whispers of the Blade
by Chikaede
Summary: There are four things Zoro treasures above all in the world, and they loved him back fiercely in return.
1. Wado Ichimonji

_**Disclaimer: One Piece and its characters belong to the great Eiichiro Oda.** _

_**Wado Ichimonji **_

She had been with him the longest, ever since poor little Kunia had her fatal injury that horrible day. She had even fought against his blade during their two thousand and first fight. The ringing clash of metal still sits clear in her mind until this day. Most katana belonging to a specific family would be horrified at the idea of being passed off to a non-family member, but not she. Her fellows always told her she was too gentle, too forgiving.

"Wado-san", the other ladies would say, "Are you sure you are not disgusted by the thought of being wielded _in his mouth_? Santoryu, what kind of offhanded style is that anyway?"

But she would just smile and batter their comments away. If it meant helping him remember Kunia and his vow of becoming the greatest swordsman in the world, she is content.

He treated her well. Despite the daily grime and gore they encountered, she was spotless, the beautiful white never tarnished. He is reckless, even brutal at times. Other katana of his had suffered breaks under his hands, when he didn't properly control his strength, or used their sharp edges to climb up jagged slopes. Despite being subjected to the same rough treatment, she alone did not have any dinks along her metal body. Being amongst the twenty-one finest blades is probably the main reason for this, but she liked to imagine that he took special care of her.

"Wado, your owner is so clumsy, he doesn't even know your true value". This is a comment she came across often from other katana she crossed paths with and fought against. That is ok, because she knows she represents much, much more, beyond a simple name given to her by her maker. She represents a promise. A goal.

To him, she is priceless. A storekeeper once tried to purchase her off him, 6 times more the money he had on him. He responded that he wouldn't sell no matter the price. At the time he still didn't know her name. The swordswoman Tashigi had commented that all the best swords in the world seemed to belong to pirates, that the swords are crying. She couldn't be further away from the truth. That encounter had caused raw emotion stirring in her very soul, a first in hundreds of years.

Hunt Zoro down? Take her from him?

Those incompetent fools can do so in their dreams.

"So you are called Wado Ichimonji huh?"

After that encounter at the weapons shop, his deep voice was directed towards her for the first time in their twelve years journeying together. She had laughed back, which was very unlady-like and definitely not suitable for her age, but that is ok as well. Once in a while.

"Well met, Zoro."


	2. Sandai Kitetsu

_**Spoiler warning, if you haven't read up to the Loguetown arc, or Thriller bark yet, proceed with caution :)  
**_

_**Sandai Kitetsu**_

She was bored. So very bored of just sitting in the barrel doing nothing, crowded together haphazardly and uncomfortably with other swords just as silent and stuffy as the old wooden barrel. People came and went every day, their eyes barely glancing at their spot near the wall. She was infinitely jealous of those who sat on the wall or had special racks to display and flaunt themselves. Her dark red sheath and flame patterns would've been such a grand sight. But she was apparently very much cursed, so that timid owner had threw her along with the others hoping to sell her off a cheap price.

It wasn't her fault that past owners had trouble managing her power and got eaten up and even stabbed. Well, she liked her reputation. She just didn't expect to be thrown in with a bunch of rusting trash!

Then he came along. She felt his spirit the minute he walked in, and had secretly giggled at his unusually colored hair. The swordsman had that famous Wado Ichimonji with him. She was all soft and meek, it was a little weird to her.

Ichimonji had noticed her too, surprised to find her there.

"You're Kitetsu, aren't you?"

"Sandai. My brothers are also called Kitetsu, you know. I don't want to have the same name as theirs." She was special and she knew it like a butterfly knows to gravitate towards flowers.

"Sandai-chan, then."

She huffed back, annoyed at the enduring suffix attached to the end of her name. Sure, by years she is younger, but still a dangerous and cursed blade, for goodness sake! Proceeding to ignore the activity around her, she was startled when a hand picked her up. Another long commotion about her history and worth by the clumsy looking swordswoman, and then she was passed to him. His calloused hand gripped her, strong, unwavering, compelling.

"A cursed sword, right?"

So he could tell the aura she gives out. Good. Maybe he could keep her entertained for a short while. He'll probably be scared shitless later on and keep his distance like that stupid store owner back there.

But she was proved wrong. He liked her. He even decided to challenge his luck against her cursed self. He spun her, up and up, and let her fall towards his outstretched left arm. His sword arm. For a fleeting second she considered cutting him right through, her blade was sharp enough to do so, and she longed to have some action. But something stopped her, something within him that resonated so clear with her soul. In that short moment she saw a mirror of herself in him, the same wildness, a demonic beast sealed inside. Her blade trembled with excitement, this is a man who could match her force eye to eye. So she willed herself to turn, the dull side of her length rolling gently over his forearm, biting hilt-deep into the floorboard instead.

He grinned that confident grin of his, "I'll take it."

And in those short five seconds, her boredom became history.

* * *

Their first fight was against bounty hunters from baroque works. She had been restless the moment the fight started, wanting to feel her blade nick though flesh. Her blood thirst was so strong to the point where she nearly forced his hand against his will to slash at the first person who came into sight. When he finally released her from her sheath she whooped loudly and slammed against the stone hammer, slicing it neatly in half. His comment of her being a problem child made her giggle madly, and then they proceeded to dash around the buildings wrecking havoc wherever they went.

* * *

He nearly lost his life that day when he decided to sacrifice himself to save his captain and crew. She had tried so hard to damage that cyborg, but failed, bouncing uselessly past his robotic interior. To this day she still hates herself for not being strong enough. In a show of his determination, he discarded the katana that represented his life, letting all three of them fall from his side to the hard ground.

She raged, yelled at him. She had cried, pleading. Wado was silent, because she is the type who is overly trusty and patiently waits. That new guy didn't really care. But she would not give up, because this was not how it supposed to end. The curse she carried should not affect him, it should have been overshadowed and burnt away by his power.

"Zoro…no, don't…ZORO!"

"Sandai-chan. it will be okay." Wado spoke up, trying to calm her.

"It will not be fine! He will die! I cursed him and he is the only one whom I truly belonged to!"

She watched as his pushed himself into the ball of pain created by the cyborg, unable to do a thing. Watched as he fell to the ground, forced himself up, to fall right back down again. Cried as his blood flowed freely out. She couldn't do a single damned thing. That memory will be with her forever, a scar along her bright steel. It was that very day when she decided to fully dedicate to this swordsman with unnatural green hair. He is worth her legacy. He could go to hell and she will follow with no hesitation or fear, until the day her blade dulled and broke with rust. And she will become stronger, sharper, so that next time, she will for sure cut through anything that blocked his way. That is her passion, her vow to him.

* * *

It has been two years since then.

Today they are facing a giant Kraken under the sea. His grip on her is stronger now, with greater conviction.

Zoro looked down at her, "Alright problem child, lets cut this one up for dinner."

Wado gave a smile. The new guy glinted.

She let out her manic laugh,

"Yeahhh! Let's go!"

* * *

**A/N: Thanks guys for giving my super short 1st chapter a chance and reading on to this one. Wado was a bit hard to get right, but I had loads of fun with Sandai. The next one is going to be challenging though, it might take a while to get it written.  
**


	3. Yubashiri

**_A/N: Spoiler alert if you are not up to thriller bark. _**

**_Thank you for the lovely reviews and sorry this chapter took so long. It was a difficult chapter to write because I really wanted to be able to do Yubashiri justice (I hope I did!) _**

**_Yubashiri _**

Yubashiri fidgeted, unsure of what to do in his current predicament. The one who called himself Sogeking clutched his hilt unsteadily, maintaining an oddly stiff stance. Zoro had managed to get himself handcuffed to Sogeking and came up with this excessive idea to use Sogeking in combination with Yubashiri as a sword to fight. They tried to attack, but Sogeking trembled non-stop, and Yubashiri could not cut straight. The usually ruthless Sandai was laughing so hard she had trouble directing her strikes properly too. The end result was a sideways, weakened cut, and a direct bash on Sogeking'a head.

A second try did no better and gave Sogeking's another painful whack on his nose.

Sandai promptly broke down in giggles, rendering herself useless, earning a glare from Wado.

"You are both graceless", Wado murmured. Yubashiri had a fleeting image of Wado tossing her head as her polished blade reflected the light.

Yubashiri continued to fidget, feeling embarrassment over his poor performance. Being the only male and the youngest of the three, he works hard to impress, having the need to prove himself and gain Zoro's trust. Today's events will certainly ditch all his hard work down the drain.

He was given to Zoro along with Sandai, and despite being a Katana of a higher grade, he had felt overshadowed by Sandai's demonic aura. They became competitors of sorts, each trying their best to show off when Zoro first tried them out. Yubashiri had been pleased when Zoro praised his lightness and agility, and openly laughed at Sandai when she was called a problem feud continued till now, which is probably why Sandai had yet to stop her laughter in their current disastrous state.

Sandai always scoffs at Yubashiri and says that his awe towards Zoro is only a hair away from pure worship. Which is probably very true. He always looked up to Zoro's strength and sturdy pace. Yubashiri worked on the power of his spirit as Zoro trained with his weights, and fought the other two Katana to be the one closest to Zoro's side when he nods off to sleep. He tried hard to memorize paths and lanes so he can direct Zoro back to the ship when he wanders off, even though Zoro never once listens to him and continued to confuse north and south. Every fight he worked his damned hardest, cutting straight and clean, making sure to make no mistake, because he wanted to become just as strong as Zoro one day.

Except for today of course. Today was just a big tangle of mess. Yubashiri let out a small sigh and hoped that he would never need to be held in Sogeking's sweaty, trembling palms ever again.

* * *

They are fighting against the Marine's, trying to save Robin. In the heat of the battle a Marine pressed both palms against Yubashiri's blade, blocking his cut. Before Yubashiri could even blink, blistering pain shot down, and in those numbing seconds he forgot how to breathe. He felt the metal dull, his sharpest edges crumbling, corroding, and snapping. Two thirds of his blade broke into brown rusted pieces, falling to the ground and into dust. Still caught up in the whirlwind of shock, Yubashiri dimly felt Zoro jerk in surprise, pause, grimace, and shove him roughly back into the sheath. He sat in that darkness in fear. A broken blade is a useless one.

If swords could shed tears he would've cried.

* * *

In the following months Zoro kept Yubashiri by his side, and Yubashiri took some comfort, holding on to a tiny hope that he may still be repairable. Those dreams were quickly dashed when they met that smelly zombie samurai carrying a legendary sword.

Yubashiri didn't like the rude sword that came from Wano Country, mainly because of his aloof demeanor but also because he did not want to be replaced. He selfishly wished that Zoro would not be able to acquire the other sword, and then hated himself for being so childish. Zoro was his master and teacher, and Yubashiri had sworn to work hard and help Zoro achieve his dream. Being destroyed can hardly help Zoro towards that final goal.

The day Shusui joined Zoro's team was the day Yubashiri forced himself to let go. It hurt even more than being broken into pieces. He felt like a son abandoning his father.

* * *

Zoro surprised Yubashiri by giving him a personal little burial alongside Brook's fallen comrades. Being a swordsman, Zoro rarely shows his emotions when it comes to losing something, and this small gesture of saying goodbye did not go unnoticed by any of his Katana.

Wado's voice drifted down towards him in a gentle touch, "He loves you Yubashiri. The same way he loves Chopper. Farewell little one, you did well."

He knows that, but knowing he did well did not lessen the ache of parting.

In a strong stab Zoro pushed Yubashiri straight into the ground, closing his eyes and clapping his hands together in a form of prayer. Yubashiri wondered if Zoro knew that swords had souls.

"Sorry, and thank you."

Zoro's deep voice rolled over him, and he tried to commit it to memory. As this may well be the last time they saw each other. This is the end.

He watched over Zoro's retreating figure until their ship departed out to sea. Finally Yubashiri closed his eyes,

_"Thank you too, Zoro." _

* * *

The small cemetery overlooking the sea was deathly silent, age old tombstones standing underneath the slowly retreating sunlight. A black Katana stood out amongst the stones, it's metal decorations catching the remaining rays of sunlight before nighttime arrives. In one particular strong reflection of the sun the blade shone brilliantly. Time stood still until slowly, very slowly, a whisper of a breath escaped the sword, the quiet sigh of a soul departed.


End file.
